Polyvalent pneumococcal immunization of patients with plasma cell dyscrasias

The response to vaccination against influenza A(H1N1) 2009, seasonal influenza and Streptococcus pneumoniae in adult outpatients with ongoing treatment for cancer with and without rituximab

It is debated whether cancer patients treated with chemotherapy can mount an adequate response to vaccination.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Ninety-six adult outpatients with cancer, who were undergoing chemotherapy and/or monoclonal antibody, tyrosine kinase inhibitor, irradiation or corticosteroid treatments, were studied. Two doses of the pandemic influenza A(H1N1)/09 AS03-adjuvanted split virion vaccine, one dose of the seasonal influenza vaccine and one dose of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine were given. Serum haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays were used to determine antibody titres against the influenza strains. For the pneumococcal vaccine 14 different serotype-specific anti-capsular antibodies were measured by bead assay xMAP(®).

RESULTS

Patients treated with rituximab did not respond to vaccination. For patients without rituximab treatment 4% had putatively protective antibodies before vaccination (HI ≥ 40) to the pandemic-like strain A/California7/2009HINI. After the first and second dose of vaccine, seroprotection rates (SPR) were 62% and 87%, and seroconversion rates (SCR) 62% and 84%, respectively. Before seasonal flu vaccination SPR against influenza A/Brisbane/59/2007H1N1 and A/Uruguay/10/2007H3N2 were 19% and 17%, respectively. After vaccination, SPR were 70% and 59% and SCR 42% and 50%, respectively. For the pneumococcal vaccine protective antibodies were found to 40% of the 14 strains before and to 68% after vaccination. The mean response to pneumococcal vaccination was to 44% of the 14 serotypes. A response to at least 50% of the 14 serotypes was found in 49% of the patients. No serious adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSION

A substantial number of adult cancer patients with ongoing chemotherapy treatment could mount an adequate serological response to influenza and pneumococcal vaccination without severe adverse events. Thus, vaccination should be recommended. Adjuvanted vaccines may improve the vaccine response among this patient group. Patients recently treated with rituximab do not respond to vaccination.

Infections in patients with leukemia and lymphoma

Infectious complications remain a significant issue in the care of patients with hematologic malignancies. Inherent immune defects related to the primary disease process are present in patients with disorders such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, hairy cell leukemia, and Hodgkin lymphoma. Therapy-related immunosuppression is also commonplace in these patients. This includes not only treatment-related neutropenia, but also defects in cell-mediated immunity, such as those that occur with purine analog therapy. In this chapter, we will review the pathogenesis of infection in these disorders, as well as the spectrum of infectious complications seen and suggested strategies for the prevention of infection.

Serological immune responses to influenza vaccine in patients with colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

The immune responses to influenza vaccination in patients with colorectal cancer on surveillance or active chemotherapy have not been previously reported. We conducted a prospective influenza vaccination study to determine the serological immune response rate in patients with colorectal cancer.

METHODS

During the 2006-2007 influenza season, patients with colorectal cancer treated at Roswell Park Cancer Institute were offered vaccination with the trivalent influenza vaccine (Fluzone, 2006-2007). Blood samples for hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay titers were collected before and 3 months after vaccination. Response to vaccination was determined using an endpoint of ≥ 1:40 HI titer ratio or a fourfold HI increase at 3 months from vaccination. A response in HI to at least one of the 3 strains was considered an immune response.

RESULTS

Eighty-five patients with colorectal cancer participated in the study. The immune response in the overall population was 70.6%. No differences in response were noted between the 58 patients on active chemotherapy and the 27 patients on surveillance [Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.78; P = 0.8]. The odds of response did not vary by chemotherapy regimen or by chemotherapy-vaccination timing. HI response in all 3 titers concurrently were low in both the chemotherapy (12.1%) and surveillance groups (11.1%) (OR = 1.10; P = 1).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with colorectal cancer mount an immune response to influenza vaccination irrespective of their chemotherapy regimen or timing. However, concurrent responses to all three strains in the individual patient with colorectal cancer are uncommon. The investigation of a booster vaccine in this population is warranted.

Renal, hematologic and infectious complications in multiple myeloma

Renal failure is a common complication in patients with multiple myeloma. It is generally due to tubular light-chain damage, and it is reversible in about 50% of patients. The reversibility rate depends on the degree of light-chain nephropathy. The initial therapy should consist of dexamethasone- or cyclophosphamide-based regimens. High-dose therapy/autologous transplant may be of benefit in selected patients. Early plasma exchange may be useful in patients who have severe renal failure but do not yet require dialysis. Renal replacement with dialysis is a worthwhile measure in patients with end-stage renal failure. Anemia is the most common hematologic complication. About 70% of anemic patients respond to recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO), resulting not only in an increase in the hemoglobin level but also in an improvement in the quality of life. The hemoglobin level should ideally be maintained at around 12 g/dL. Infection is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with myeloma. The highest risk of infection is within the first 2 months of initiation of therapy as well as in patients with renal failure and in those with relapsed and refractory disease.